It’s Monday! What are you reading? 12/17

Every week I participate in this meme hosted by the lovely ladies over at Teach Mentor Texts.  Jen and Kellee had the brilliant idea to adapt this meme to talk about the great young adult and children’s literature that we are reading.  Head over to their blog for more great reads and a plethora of recommendations of great kidlit.

This week was a really tough one for me.  I thought I would be able to get through a lot of books, and was looking forward to a successful week at school and a good reading week at home.  Then, I got a phone call at noon on Monday that changed everything.  My step-brother Jeff passed away very suddenly on Monday.  Although I was home from work most of the week, I was unable to focus enough to get much reading done and I was also busy with the funeral and visitation.  My sister and her husband came to stay with us too.  I am hoping this week will be a little better for me, but I am not sure my focus will be much better.

Books I Finished this week:
The picture book Just Behave, Pablo Picasso by Jonah Winter is a quick read.  It is a simplified biography of Pablo Picasso and might be one to read to younger students.  However, I found it really too simple for using with students in middle school.  I think Picasso had a complex life and his art periods are fascinating so this book just didn’t do it for me.  
I picked up The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson for another quick read.  I love how the author mixes some historical fiction with this touching story about how people interact with one another.  I loved the stories of all of the little girls who were touched by the doll and will certainly recommend this book to students.  
I got a Netgalley copy of this book to read.  I was so excited to read it because I really loved Between Shades of Gray.  Although not as intense as that book, Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys is a touching book with endearing characters and fast action.  I really enjoyed this book and will be writing a more in-depth review on the blog soon.  I highly recommend this book for grades 8 and up.  
The Giant and How he Humbugged America by Jim Murphy is a book about an elaborate hoax in the history of the United States.  It was a really interesting story about how a group of men swindled the public.  I was really fascinated by this story.  Jim Murphy wrote another great nonfiction book.  
Books I am currently reading:

I am still reading The Dark Monk by Oliver Potzsch which is a great historical mystery and part of the Hangman’s Daughter series.  I started reading Legend by Marie Lu which I bought at the warehouse sale on Friday.

Books on the horizon:

I have literally hundreds of books in my to read pile.  I was excited to get some of them at the warehouse sale last week…I had no business buying any books there, but there I was.  I also have a Scholastic book club box waiting for me at school.  I tried to be careful this time with my purchases but there are a few gems there too.  I definitely want to read Liar and Spy and The Girl of Fire and Thorns this week.  I still also want to read Perfect Chemistry and The Always War.  After that, we’ll see what happens.   

Have a good reading week!

Author: Andrea

I am an instructional technology coach in a middle school in Milwaukee, WI. I have been teaching for over 20 years in many grade levels ranging from first through eighth grade. I am a lifelong book nerd.

3 thoughts on “It’s Monday! What are you reading? 12/17”

  3. You have a lot of books to read, none of which I have come across as yet! It is certainly difficult to get reading done when there is a death. I can understand not getting the reading done that you had planned.
    Kathryn

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